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FWIW, I do agree that our current state of capitalism isn’t fair. Beyond that, I’m not saying what’s fair and what’s not. Gareth Morgan is doing that. He said what he’s paying isn’t fair. Go and ask him your questions… I’d like to hear his answers.

I’m not persecuting anybody… that’s ad hominem. I’m not suggesting Gareth donate all his money to the IRD… that’s a strawman. I’ll accept philanthropic work as a contribution to society in lieu of tax. Does Gareth spend more than $300K on philanthropic pursuits?

If you don’t understand the difference between a legal requirement and fairness, there’s no place for you in this discussion. The whole point is that what some people are required to pay is NOT fair. If it wasn’t, then there would be no need for change.

Mark Alford commented
2016-12-10 14:47:02 +1300

What’s fair? A gini co-efficient of zero where everyone has exactly the same? Is that fair to people who work more? Equally is our current state of capitalism fair to everyone?
Seems odd to persecute someone for paying what they are required to pay, are you saying he should donate all his money to IRD? He already does philanthropic work so is already giving back when he doesn’t need to.

Frank van der Hulst commented
2016-12-10 13:25:25 +1300

Right. But why didn’t he pay his fair share last year? And the year before?

Mark Alford commented
2016-12-10 12:31:13 +1300

On the contrary, he is putting his money where his mouth is by proposing a tax aimed at people getting rich from property investment, so that they pay their fair share the same as normally salary income workers, despite this proposed tax making him worse off.

Frank van der Hulst commented
2016-12-10 07:32:46 +1300

My point is that he knows that he is not behaving fairly, and yet he is promoting himself as the man who will return fairness to NZ. Whilst the $300K is a drop in the tax bucket, it shows that his money isn’t where is mouth is.

Mark Alford commented
2016-12-09 21:50:26 +1300

His point is that he pays all the tax he is legally required to pay, and that to address the growing inequality we need new fairer policies such as this that do not simply tax wage earners but also people who get around the tax loopholes to pay minimal tax such as property speculators. Believe he has said he will personally pay an additional $350k under this new policy which he is ok with as it means he is paying his fair share.